Liquid soap dispenser



Nov. 12, 1935. E. E. sTlLL LIQUID SOAP DISPENSER Filed Aug. 22, 1954 Patented Nov. l2, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT `OFFICE 2,020,916 LIQUID soAr DISPENSER Eben E. Still, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application August 22, 1934, Serial No. 740,918

10 Claims. (Cl. 2121-102) This invention has for a main object the provision of a simple, eflicient and economical dispenser for liquid soap arranged to dispense the soap by displacement instead of by gravity or by direct action of a piston on a fluid, as in other well known types of dispensers.

To this end, my invention contemplates the provision of a base having a cylindrical bore therein with an inlet in communication with a suitable soap receptacle and ari outlet remote from the inlet, and a piston slidable in said' cylinder and so formed as to provide separate air, charging and discharging chambers within the base. Thus, by thrusting the piston inwardly the inlet is opened to communication with the charging chamber, and upon the return stroke of the piston the soap admitted through the inlet is transferred to the discharge chamber but is held against discharge by the piston when the same is at its outermost extreme of movement.

Upon the subsequent inward thrust of the piston, however, air from the air chamber is forced through the piston, or otherwise, into the discharge chamber for exhausting the previous charge of soap for use, while at the' same time a new charge is admitted through the inlet to the charging chamber.

Other objects will appear as the description of my dispenser progresses.

In the accompanying drawing I have shown a preferred form of device, subject to modification within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of my invention. In said drawing:

Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of a dispenser embodying my improvements, and showing the piston initially thrust inwardly asin a priming operation for receiving a charge of soap;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary similar section of the 40 same showing the Vpiston normally positioned as at the completion of the priming stroke and in readiness to discharge the previously admitted charge of soap;

Fig. 3 is a similar section of the same showing the piston again thrust inwardly as in a discharging operation;

' Fig. 4 is a similar section of the same showing the piston again restored to normal position;

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the assembled Vdispenser;

Fig. 6 is a transverse section of the dispenser on line 6-6 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 7 is a section of the same on line 1-1 of Fig. 2. Briefly described my improved dispenser includes a base B arranged to detachably support a soap receptacle R, and a plunger or piston P slidably mounted in said base. The base B has a flange I adapted to be suitably attached to a wall or to a supporting memberv and a hori- 5 zontal body 2 having a socket 3 on its upper side and internally threaded to receive an externally threaded neck 4 of the receptacle R.

Body 2 has a horizontal cylindrical bore 5 forme-d therein which is enlarged at its open end 10 to provide a counterbored discharge chamber 6 adapted to be closed by means ofa removable head 'I formed with a threaded portion 8 adapted to be screwed into the end of the chamber 6g Piston P has spaced inner and outer por- 15 tions 9V and I0 of like diameter corresponding to the bore 5 and adapted to sldably fit said bore, thereby providing a movable charging chamber II.

Rearwardly of the portion 9 of the piston an 20 air chamber- I2 is provided which is in constant communication with a central vbore I3 in piston PY and an outlet I4 is formed in the portion l0 of the piston -for affording communication between bore I3 and discharge chamber 6. A com- 25 pression spring I5 is held between the rear end of piston P and the adjacent end of bore 5 `for urging the piston outwardly to normally closed position. Piston P has a stem I6 which is slidable in and extends through the head 1 and is 30 provided at its outer extremity with a suitable operating button I8, by means of which the piston may be operated in a dispensing operation.

The socket 3 has a conical bottom with a central inlet `I9 in communication with the bore 5 35 and which is normally closed, as shown in Fig.

2, by the portion 9 of piston P. An outlet 20 from chamber 6 is provided inthe head 1, through which the liquid soap is dispensed at each inward thrust of the piston. Y 40 In operation, when lthe soap receptacle R is lled with soap and is attached in inverted position to the socket 3, the portion 9 of the piston will normallyclose the linlet I9 so that the soap will not leak from' the receptacle. When 45 the piston is thrust inwardly in an initial operation, against the tension of spring I5, air is forced outwardly from chamber I2 through bore I3 of the piston into and from chamber 6 while the charging chamber II is moved into registra- 50 tion with inlet I9 where it is filled with a supply of soap from receptacle R.

Upon the release of pressure from piston P the spring I5 operates to restore the piston to normally closed position in its cylinder, there- 55 bers Il and Sand transferring the charge of soap to chamber 6, as shown in Fig. 2. When piston P is again thrust inwardly air from chamber I2 is forced through boreY I3 of the pistonv into chamber 6 and serves to exhaust the contents of the discharge chamber through outlet 20, for use, and-at the same time recharge the Vchamber ll with soap for a subsequent operation. Y

Thus, in the operation of the device, Ythe piston may not become airbound and vents forthe cylinderY are not necessary except through outlet 20, leakage is impossible, and accurately measured quantities of soap are dispensed at all times.

The dispenser may be thoroughly and quicklycleaned, or replacements made, by removing the head 1. Leathers usually employed for plung@ ers are.unnecessary with the type and arrangement of piston shown, and the device is there-V fore durable and sanitary. Y

It will be also noted that the portion 9 of the piston forms a closure for the inlet I9 while the outer end of the'V portion I0 forms a closure for the outlet 20 when the piston is positioned at its outermost extreme of movement, thereby doubly preventing leakage of the soap from the dispenser.

what I claim is: e V1. A liquid soap dispenser comprising a soap receptacle and a base therefor having separate air, charging and discharging chambers, said air chamber being in constant communication with said discharging chambers and operating means in said base for simultaneously charging Vsaid charging chamber with a measured quantity of soaprfrom said receptacle and discharging a previously charged quantityof soap from said discharge chamber when pressure is created in said air chamber. Y A n 2. A liquid soap dispenser comprising a soap receptacle, a base having a socket for detachably supporting said receptacle and provided with an inlet, a cylinder in communication with said inlet Y and having an outlet spaced from the inlet, a pis--V tonv 'slidable in said cylinder and Yformed with a pair of spaced portions and a reduced intermediate lportion whereby to provide a charging chamber intermediate the ends of said pistonV adapted to be moved to and from communication Y with said inlet, said piston terminating short of the'cylinder to provide an air chamber and a discharge chamber at Yopposite extremities thereof insaid cylinder, and means for affording communication between said airV discharge cham bers, for the purpose described.

3. A liquid soapv dispenser comprising a soap receptacle, a base for detachably supporting said, receptacle and provided'with a cylinder therein, a detachable closure for said cylinder, apiston slidable in s aid cylinder and provided with spacedY portions forming a chargingV chamber therebetween, Van inlet and an outlet to said charging chamber, said piston being of less lengththan said cylinder forproviding an air chamber and a fdischarge chamber in said cylinder at opposite extremities of said Vpiston and in constant communication, an outlet to said discharge Vchamber, 'said'piston being operative upon the inward movement thereof for opening said inlet to introduce a quantity of soap to said charging chamber and to expel air from said air chamber into said'discharging chamber forA discharging soap from said outlet under pressure..

4. A liquid soap dispenser comprising a soap Yby establishing communication between chamreceptacle, abasetherefor havingacylinder with Y Y an inlet and an outlet, an end closure for said cylinder, aY piston slidable in said cylinder and formed with spaced portions forming a charging chamber therebetween normally closed from c communication with said inlet by one of said'portions, that portion of the cylinder adjacent the inner end of said piston forming an air chamber, that portion of the cylinder outwardly of said piston forming a discharge chamber adjacent said outlet, said piston having a passage therein affording constant communication between said air and discharge chambers, and means for automatically restoring Vsaid piston to normal posi.V tion at the completion of each inward movement thereof, wherebyupon the inward movement of the piston said inlet will be .opened Vto and for charging said charging chamber with a quantity provided with spaced portions for respectively 30r Y closing said inlet and said outlet and so formed f as to providegan air chamber at theV rear of said inlet closing lportion and a discharge chamber at the outerend of said piston, said piston have ing a passage therethrough formaintaining con- 35 stant communication between said air and discharge chambers, whereby upon theinward thrust of the piston Vpressure from said air chambeiy will be effective for discharging a measured quantity of soap from the discharge chamber.` 40

6. A` liquid soap dispenser comprising a soap receptacle, a base therefor including a cylinder lhaving a central inlet and an outlet near an extremityY thereof, a piston slidable in said cylinder normally closing said inletand formed so as 45 to provide a chamber in which to admit ameasuredquantity of soap from said receptacle to anV intermediate portion of said Vcylinder uponthe inward thrust of said piston and to-transfersaid quantity of soap to a position for discharge from 50 Y vsaid cylinder upon therestoration of the piston to normal position,and means for restoring said piston to normal position, a succeedingv inward thrust of said piston serving to discharge the previouslyA admitted charge of soap and to re'- 55 charge the cylinder for a succeeding operation.V

7. Aliquid soap dispenser Vcomprising a soap receptacle, a base therefor including a cylinder and a piston slidable therein and Yterminating 66 short of the inner end of saidcylinder so as to provideV an air chamber, a charging chamber in- Y termediate the ends of said piston, a discharge chamber at the outer end of said piston, an inlet from said receptacle to said charging chamber 65 normally closed by a portion of said piston, an outlet to said discharge chamber normally closed bya portion of said piston, means for urging said piston to closed position, and ,means for adfording communication between said Vair cham-V 70 .ber and said discharge chamber whereby a quantity of soap previously admitted toy said charging chamber and transferred to said discharge chamber may be discharged fromY the discharge` chamber upon a succeeding inward thrust 'of the 75 piston by reason of the expulsion of air from said air chamber.

8. A liquid soap dispenser comprising: a receptacle provided with a cylinder in communication therewith and having an outlet remote therefrom, a piston slidable in said cylinder and formed with spaced portions providing a charging chamber therebetween adapted for communication with said receptacle when the piston is thrust inwardly for admitting a charge of liquid to said charging chamber, said cylinder having a discharge chamber communicating with said outlet and a pressure chamber in constant communication with said discharge chamber, and means for moving said piston outwardly subsequent to a charging operation, whereby the pressure in said pressure chamber will evacuate said discharge chamber through said outlet of the contents of a previous charge of liquid.

9. A liquid soap dispenser comprising: a receptacle provided with a cylinder having an inlet and an outlet, a piston slidable in said cylinder formed so as to form separate pressure, charging and discharge chambers at spaced points relative to said piston, said pressure and discharge chamber being in constant communication, a portion of said piston normally closing communication between said receptacle and said charging chamber and another portion of said piston normally closing said outlet, said piston being movable in a given direction for affording communication between said charging chamber and said receptacle and in an opposite direction for transferring the contents of the chamber to said discharge chamber, the initial movement of the piston serving to discharge the contents of the discharge fchamber by creating pressure in the pressure in a given direction said charging chamber will 20 be opened to communication with said receptacle for receiving a charge of liquid and pressure will be created in said pressure chamber, and on the reverse movement of the piston the charge of liquid will be transferred to the dis- 25 charge chamber while a previous charge of liquid will be discharged therefrom.

EBEN E. STILL. 

